Nottingham Forest star names ambitious target after missing Champions League

Ryan Yates wants Nottingham Forest to target going all the way in next season’s Conference League once Nuno’s team have shaken off the disappointment of missing out on a top five finish because of last-day defeat to Chelsea

Ryan Yates says it will take a couple of days for Nottingham Forest to shake off the disappointment from falling just short of a Champions League place.

But the skipper admits he would have snapped the hand off of anyone offering European football last summer – when many pundits were tipping Nuno Espirito Santo’s side for a relegation battle.

Defeat to Chelsea on Sunday bumped Forest down to seventh spot and a place in the Conference League play-off round in late August, having spent most of the season in the top four.

Yet Yates is sure that excitement will take over from deflation for a club that last appeared on the continental stage in 1995-96.

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“When you’ve been up there for so long and you’ve got that chance to get something bigger, there’s always that disappointment when you don’t achieve it,” Yates said.

“But looking on reflection in a couple of weeks’ time when it does settle, I think everyone will be extremely proud of what we’ve been able to achieve.”

And he is already targeting a long run in the competition despite being aware that the squad must be strengthened to combat the rigours of Thursday-Sunday football.

“We were saying that in the dressing room, we have to always look at the positive,” he added. “The teams aren’t going to be as strong in that competition. It’s another chance to win silverware.

“We’d like to think that we can go even further in that competition. Hopefully, it can be a blessing in disguise for us.

And after hailing the club’s “incredible recruitment” this season, Yates added: “I’m sure the people who sit upstairs will be doing their hard work now and getting us ready for a successful season next year.”

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